


First Man

by AlessiaNott



Series: AlessiaNott’s songfics list [3]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: AU, Based on a Camila Cabello song, Basically Betty is not his little girl anymore and he's sad, Betty-FP centric, Car Accident, Daddy-Daughter, Daughter getting older, F/M, Flashbacks, Growing Up, Guilt, He's a Lodge, Jealous father, Jughead is not FP's son, Minor Character Dead, Not an stepsibling fic, Songfic, adoptive father, alternative universe, baby betty, boyfriend - Freeform, bughead - Freeform, child birth, falice - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:15:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23645998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlessiaNott/pseuds/AlessiaNott
Summary: FP is the closest thing Betty has for a father, since the day she was born the man promised her he would look out for her, after her father's dead.But now Betty is older, and FP doesn't like looking how her little girl becomes a woman who doesnt' need him anymore.
Relationships: Alice Cooper & FP Jones II, Alice Cooper/FP Jones II, Alice Cooper/Hal Cooper, Betty Cooper & Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper/FP Jones II (Father-daughter), Betty Cooper/Jughead 'Lodge', Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Veronica Lodge/Jughead Jones (Siblings)
Series: AlessiaNott’s songfics list [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1673827
Comments: 16
Kudos: 54





	1. Promise.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty is born, and he remembers every detail of that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo, you're probably asking (because I do) why are you starting another work when you have another three in progress? and I add to that, especially when you have a bunch of things to do for all your classes? 
> 
> Well, maybe I like torturing myself with pressure?
> 
> Tbh, this was an idea I have for when I've finished Try, but as I was about to start working on Try's next chapter, which I do as a hear my song list with all the songs I have planned fics for, this song started and the idea just became sooo clear that I needed to write it, at least the start.
> 
> As you might have seen in the tags, this story is going to be centered on FP and Betty, but in a father-daughter relationship.  
> At first I thought about having her ending together with another character, but when it comes to cute things, my Bughead heart can't help itself.  
> So, I hope you enjoy it, because I did planning it and writing this first chapter. 
> 
> The song that inspired me is First Man by Camila Cabello.

He knows she’s not his, not biologically, but the love he feels towards that blonde little girl made him consider her like if she was his own.

Hal, her father, had died in a car crash on the way to the hospital the day she was born, so he was the first man to pick her up after Alice had gave birth to her.

His story with Alice is weird, they were a thing back in high school and had a child, but they broke up because they wanted different things, stayed friends for Charles’s sake, and he got alone with Hal, especially because the man respected him as Charles’ father and treated Alice well.

When Polly was born he was named his godfather, an honor he took seriously, and sometimes people will ask if Polly was FP’s, because there was not difference in how he treats Charles and Polly.

She called him Uncle Forsy when she was little, Hal made fun of him, just as did Fred, his and Alice’s mutual best friend. But he didn’t mind, as long as Pollyanna was the only one who did.

Not even little Archie was allowed to, years later when the small boy redhead was born.

Elizabeth is a different story, because even though he is Polly’s godfather, the blonde girl with sparkling green eyes has always looked up to him.

And he feels guilty, less than in the beginning, but he stills feels so, because Hal was an amazing father to Polly, an amazing step-father to Charles, and he sometimes feels like he’s stealing his place.

Alice always remembers him is not his fault; Hal died thanks to a drunk driver, and sadly will never be there for his youngest.

But she tells him she's sure he's thankful towards him for taking care of them.

* * *

FP remembers Betty’s birth in a very detailed way, he was coming to pick up Charles for his weekend, as he and Alice shared custody. When he was about to leave, the mother of his son let out a moan of pain, and liquid started to fall down her legs.

“Mama! You peed on yourself!” 10 years old Charles pointed to her mother, impacted that a grown up would do such a thing.

“FP…” the woman’s voice is a painful whisper, as contractions starts.

He quickly takes his phone and calls Hal, letting he know what just happened, they agreed to see eachother in the hospital.

“Take care of them while I get there” the blonde man says, and FP promise he would.

With a caring sound, he explains to his son that his new little sibling is coming, because they don’t know what Alice is having, thanks to Hal wanting it to be a surprise.

“Yes! My little brother is finally going to come out!” FP smiles, but he has other things to worry, rather than remind his son that he might get a baby sister.

He picks up Alice, not caring getting a little bit wet, and takes her to his car, also, not caring if she wets the seats.

“Where is Polly?” he asks, and while Alice is breathing slowly, rubbing her extended belly, she answers:

“Play date…”

“I’ll go to Fred’s and ask for him to look after Charlie, I’ll be back and we’ll go to the hospital, okay?” Alice just nods, closing her eyes.

And he knows he has to be quick, because it seems this new baby really wants to come to the world fast.

He picks up Charles, much to the boy’s displeasure, because he really can’t lose any more time, and knocks on the door of the house’s next to Alice and Hal’s, Fred Andrews looks surprised when he sees his best friend with his son picked up, as Charles is awake and FP doesn’t pick the boy unless is to get him to bed when he falls asleep in the car.

“Alice’s water broke, I’m getting her to the hospital, while Hal gets there, can you look after Charles?”

“Of course” Fred quickly answers, both adults ignoring the kid’s protest ‘I’m a big boy. I’ don’t need to be looked after’.

“Thank you, I’ll call you as soon as I’m on my way back” he promises.

He puts his son down and hurries to his truck, were Alice is still breathing slowly.

* * *

He goes in the labor room with her, because she doesn’t want to be alone while Hal gets there, and for what it looks like, the baby doesn’t care if their father is there or not.

“You’re doing good, Al, soon you’ll get your knew baby” he encourages her the best he can.

It feels a little weird, because he can’t use the same words he did when they had Charles, because now they are just best friends with a son, and he respects she’s happily married with one of his good friends.

But the tries to rephrase them, none the less, and he holds her hand, not complaining about how tight her grip is. She needs someone, and he will always be whatever Alice’s need.

When the doctor says is time to push, she cries, because she hates that her husband isn’t part of this moment, because Alice loves her husband and she knows he’ll hate himself, maybe not even being able to forgive himself for not being there for his child birth.

But right now she needs to push, because if not she will lose her baby, and she knows that something _she_ will never heal from.

So she push, with FP behind her, encouraging words being told as she does what she’s biologically is made for, even though it hurts like hell, and she promises herself that this baby is the last one she’ll ever have, because she’s done going through the nine months and the labor pain again, not matter how amazing the retribution is.

FP feels his phone on his pocket, but he can’t care less right now, is probably Fred asking if everything is alright because he hasn’t called him to let him know he’s on his way back, and he’s most likely worried about that.

In the back of his mind FP is worried because Hal hasn’t appeared yet, he knows his office is at the other side of town, but their town is still an small one, and the hospital is just in the middle.

He should’ve arrived by now.

But he’s thoughts stops, as soon as a piercing cry fills the room, and he can’t help but admit that along with Charle’s cries, is one of the most amazing sounds he has and probably will heard in all his life.

“It’s a girl”

* * *

He leaves the room were mother and baby are resting, and he takes his phone, several lost calls from Fred, when he’s about to call him, someone calls his name.

“FP” he looks up, and Tom Keller, who he knows is Hal’s best friend and sheriff, looks at him with sad, broken eyes.

And he knows right there _why_ Hal didn’t got there in time.

* * *

When he tells Alice, the woman is a crying mess, which is natural, making the baby breastfeeding from her chest get upset and start crying, FP can’t help but thing she’s crying because she knows her daddy will never meet her, or even know she was a girl.

Along with her crying, Alice starts to say a few things, and the one that makes FP reacts is ‘now I’m completely alone with a newborn and two other kids’

“Alice…” he gets close to her, and takes one of her hands. “I promise you, you’re not alone in this. I’ll be here for you, I’ll help you with your baby, stay in the guest’s rooms, but I can promise you, you’re not alone… you may not be an official serpent anymore, hell, not even I am one, but never forget, no serpent stands alone.”

Alice sniffles. She’s thankful for his words, but it will take more than that for her to get better, because her husband just died and he didn’t met their youngest.

“What’s her name?” he asks, to help her think about something that’ll made her feel better at least for a little bit.

Alice looks down at her new baby, who looks back at her mother, with those typical grey baby eyes all babies have when they are born, she notices a little bit of blond hair, and she has rosy fat cheeks.

Her baby is beautiful, and she’s here.

“Elizabeth… Elizabeth _Harley_ …”

FP smiles, knowing Harley is to honor the baby’s late father.

* * *

When Alice is fast asleep that night, FP hears whining coming from the small crib. He picks Elizabeth for the first time, he feels a little guilty that he’s the first man holding her, calming her, but when the smalls baby quiets down almost immediately, he feels a little proud. He looks at her, and he can see a little bit of his late friend on her, but she has a lot of Alice… she’s a perfect mix…. He knows she’ll be beautiful.

“I’m sorry you didn’t got to meet your daddy, sweet thing… He was really excited to meet you; he would be sending us photos right now like crazy, no stopping until we agree you’re the most beautiful baby… I would do anything so you could have him, but just like I promise your mommy, I’ll be here for anything you need.”

Deep down he knows is a reflex, but he allows himself to believe that the small baby Betty smiled back at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys think!
> 
> About the other stories, I hope to update them soon, most likely Try will be the next one updated... but, my imagination is weird and the ideas and words just come out when they want to, so, we'll see...  
> Also, I really have a buuuuuunch of work for my classes due to next week, so if I don't post this week, I hope I'll do next week!  
> Question, suggestion? Leave them on a comment or ask me on my [tumblr](https://alessianott.tumblr.com/)


	2. Two Daddies.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty wants to call him Daddy, and she has a new way for him to see everything.
> 
> Now she's 18, and she comes home with someone, and FP knows this time is different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW WOW WOW  
> Thank you all for all the love you've given this fic so far, I promise I'm not leaving my other stories, but seriously this one is just like asking me to write it down.  
> I just finished the work on this chapter -I couldn't sleep, my mind was just awake-, it came a little different on how I had planned it, but it just feels right.  
> Hope you enjoy it, just as I'm doing.

**_Yes, I'm gonna stay with him tonight_ **

**_I'll see you in the morning_ **

**_No, of course, he won't drink and drive_ **

**_Can you say bye to mom for me?_ **

* * *

Time still passed, and so the small baby he had promised to look after turned from a baby to a toddler, to a little kid, to a teenager, and now she was close to adulthood.

FP doesn’t know how to feel about it, sometimes it stills bugs him the fact that Charles and Polly have left the nest, he misses them, his little boy is now a grown up working for the FBI, his goddaughter is now in law school… but how he feels of his baby girl getting older is worse.

He was there for every first of the small girl, the first time she crawled, when her first tooth came out, her first fever, her first words, her first steps…

He had become the father figure for her, just like he was to Charles, and even though he cared for Polly the same way, she just called him Forsy, because she already had a daddy, although the man was up in the sky now.

He got together with Alice when Betty was ten months old, after a lot of therapy for both of them, because as always, FP felt guilty he was living the life Hal was supposed to do. And the hard words from the nosy neighbors about Alice not waiting enough really affected him.

But Alice took him by the ear, told him what she thought and they decided to just do what made their family happy.

Circumstances now were that Hal wasn’t there, and Alice always cared for FP, and FP had sworn to be whatever Alice needed.

It’ll be a lie to say he wasn’t happy to be back together with the woman, because he loves her, so much that he fell for her once again.

But none of them forget about Hal, he makes sure to remember Polly how much her father cared for her, and when he is looking after Betty when she started talking he always says ‘FP’ to her, because he would never dare to take the place that isn’t his.

Hal respected his roles as Charles’ father, so the least he could do is respect him in the same way.

* * *

Things changes when Betty is 3, coming back from the daycare she’s while FP and Alice work, she is sad and FP notices, because he always knows when something is wrong with her.

“What’s the matter, Betty Boop?” he uses the nickname he gave her when she was just a few months old, he knows she doesn’t look anything like the cartoon, but he can’t care less, Betty gave him her first _real_ smile when he called her that.

“ _Whewe Betty’s daddy?_ ” she asks with her bright green eyes looking at him, and FP’s hearts breaks. “ _Evewybody has a daddy and Betty doesn’t…”_ the tiny girl sniffles. “Chawie has ‘P as daddy, but Powy and Betty doesn’t has daddy” she crosses her arms, now she’s as mad as three year old can be.

FP would rather have Alice talk to the little girl, because this conversation is one the mother should have. The man breaths as he is trying to think the best way to cover the subject.

“I think you should talk to your mommy about this, sweet thing… do you want me to get her?” Betty shakes her head, her eyebrows furrowing.

“No, ‘P explains Betty!” she demands, and FP knows he is the one explaining the small girl.

“Okay, okay” he picks her up and situates her on his lap, rubbing the sniffling toddler’s back. “You have a daddy, Betty Boop, and he loved you so much… he was so excited when you mommy told him you were coming” he said, brushing cheek slowly, Betty reminds silent, as if she knows FP will tell her something really important.

And he actually is going to.

“But your daddy had to go to the sky, because God called him…” FP isn’t a religious person, but he knows Alice is catholic, and so he tries to use an explanation the child could understand. “He became an angel, and he’s looking after you and Polly all the time…”

“Why?” she asks, and FP feels a tear running down his face.

‘ _Because an idiotic drunk driver had to drive, and take a really good man away from his family’_ he would say to anyone, but he reminds Betty is three, and only a child.

“I wish I knew angel face…” he sighs, “I wish I knew, and I’m so sorry that your daddy couldn’t be here next to you right now. Oh, he would’ve loved you, you would’ve been made him so proud, Betty… especially because you love to play around with my bike or help me when I’m fixing your mommy’s car, don’t you?”

The small girls nods, now a grin covering her face. She loves fixing cars, or as much a small child her age can.

“Your daddy was really good with cars” he whispers.

“I miss my daddy” she says, and her lower lip trembles.

FP just hugs her, rubbing her back, because there isn’t much he can say.

* * *

When Betty is five, she understands things a little better.

She knows her dad died when she was born, as she understands FP isn’t her father; he’s her mommy’s husband, because they give each other kisses, even though she had told her mom boys have cooties.

She knows FP is Charles’ father, and Charles is her brother cause he’s her mommy’s son, but she and Polly share both their mommy and daddy, and sometimes Polly tells her just a little bit of the things she remembers, because Pollyanna was pretty young when their father died.

Betty feels sad sometimes, because she see her friends getting home to their daddies, they always play with them, even her brother has her own father to play with. And Jacob has two.

She is jealous, and she wants her daddy.

That day in her class, the teacher asks someone who is a daddy and what he does?

“Daddy is someone who plays with your hair and tucks you in”

“Daddy plays dollies with you”

“Daddy kisses your boo boos away”

“Daddy is who plays cars with you”

“Daddy is who hugs you when you’re sad”

“Daddy gives you candy when mommy isn’t watching”

“Daddy is someone who gives mommy kisses”

And so her friends go on, Betty remains silent, and thankfully the teacher doesn’t ask her.

But in her five year old brain she has started to connect dots, because FP does everything her friends are saying, FP, who is now her mommy’s husband, always brushes her hair, plays with her, tucks her in at night, scares the monsters away.

When said man is tucking her in, she looks at him, and FP knows the girl wants something. He smiles; thinking is probably a piece of candy, but when he asks her if something is wrong, he is surprised by the answer.

“Can I call you daddy?”

And he freezes, Betty doesn’t notice, because the girl falls asleep just a moment later.

* * *

His mind is spinning, because he feels trapped and he doesn’t know what to do. He was always afraid of this, a part of him wants Betty to call him daddy, because the little girl is his, in his heart she’s.

But guilt comes back…

Hal should be here, tucking this little angel, watching how Polly is becoming so good at gymnastic, he should be there to help him giving Charles advices…

He should be the one with Alice, even though he knows their love is different, and he’s happy he and Alice got back together and got married, he feels like he’s _stealing_ everything from his good friend.

Alice notices his expression when he gets in their room; she puts down the book she’s reading this week and takes off her reading glasses. She raises and eyebrow and FP sighs, shrugging.

“Stop” she says, and he goes lie down next to her, face down. He turns his head so he can see her, and she starts to caress his cheek.

“I’m not doing anything” he answers, Alice just knows him too well.

“You’re thinking about it again, stop it” She insists, and when he sighs she gets closer, so she can hug him, resting half of her body on top of his. “You’re not _stealing_ his place, FP. Things happens, unfortunately Hal died, you need to stop thinking like if you had killed him, took his place.” She whispers.

“He should be here… How can I feel I’m not stealing _his_ place?”

“For starters, my love for you is completely different, I loved Hal, I was in love with him, but how I felt about him is totally different about how I feel about you… I love you, I’m in love with you... but is still not the same thing, if it was, then _maybe_ you could feel a little bit like that, but _you’re_ _not_.” She explains to him, reminds him what they’ve talked already. What he knows, deep down.

She gets off him, and they both lay on their sides, watching each other.

“Betty asked me if she could call me Daddy, Alice…” she bites her lip, and she feels happy because she knows how much it really means, but totally understands her husband’s feelings.

“Hal might be her biological father, he would’ve been an awesome dad, loved her to dead… but you’re the dad she knows, FP.” She shrugs, and he lies down completely, facing the ceiling.

When he sighs again, she adds:

“I’m actually surprised she didn’t call you that sooner, you know? And I’m sure Hal is thankful on you wanting her to know how much she would’ve been loved by him, and how you make sure Polly knows how he was… but you’re _not_ _responsible_ for his dead... I’m so glad we have you, so glad you see the girls as your own; you don’t make any difference when it comes to them and Charles… I’m sure he’s glad too, so just do what made you feel happy…” she takes his hand “and _if_ that’s allowing Betty calling you daddy, because she wants to, _that is_ _okay_ ”

He doesn’t answer her, he still needs to process, think about it, but he would lie if he had told her he didn’t want having Betty calling him daddy.

* * *

He’s lucky that the next day is Saturday; he takes Betty to get some ice cream after they go to the park, just the two of them. He sits her down and he talks to her, and asks her why she wants to call him daddy.

She’s afraid he’s mad, and quickly apologizes. Betty is a pretty sensible child; she likes to make people happy.

“I’m not mad, Betty Boop, I just want to know why” he promises.

The little girl shrugs.

“My daddy is in the sky… and you do all the things he would’ve done… I can have two daddies, just like Jacob” she explains to him, frowning.

She thought that was obvious, after all, her friend Jacob, from school, had two fathers…

And FP thinks about the child logic, he knows Jacob is the adopted son of a gay marriage, he had met them, and they were pretty great people. 

He agrees, because it’s one thing being considered Betty’s only father, when he’s just her step-father, but his pretty angel girl is really smart, and she has found a solution to his guilt –okay, it’ll take more time, because it’s not as simple as agreeing with her, but she’s right about something:

He can be her other daddy, the one that is there _physically_ , the one that protects her in the world, while Hal will always be her father, the one that gave her life, the one that made her mommy so happy, who raised Polly and was there for Charles while he was still alive, Hal is the daddy that became an angel and looks after her from the sky…

And he’s okay with that.

_Hal is too._

* * *

Betty grew up, just like everybody else, her small angel turned from a baby, to a toddler, to a kid, to a pre-teen, then a teen –oh, how he suffered with how _gorgeous_ his little girl is, because she had many guys wanting to court her…

He broke Reggie Mantle’s nose when he cheated on his little girl… he deserved it, and Tom Keller, who loved Betty as his own, just gave him a ticket, because he knew FP was right.

Betty Cooper-Jones was an angel –her last name extended when she asked FP to adopt her when she was around 10.

And his little girl is now an 18 year old young woman, a Yale’s student, her dream school.

And he’s so freaking proud of her. And terrified, that her little baby girl is not living with them, that she’s out there, in the big scary world, and she won’t need him, not as she did.

He’s happy that she’s visiting, but when he opens the door and sees her little girl along with a boy –okay, he’s more a man than a boy, but he stills looks just about Betty’s age- he feels like his world is ending.

Deep down he knows this time is different from every other boyfriend she had… and he’s terrified, because now she won’t be the man of her life…

 _Jughead Lodge is here to stay_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!  
> Suggestions, questions? Don't be shy and ask me in the comments or [tumblr!](https://alessianott.tumblr.com/)


	3. B word.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He meets the boyfriend, and he's not that bad...

**_Oh, you'll like him, he's really kind_ **

**_And he's funny like you sometimes_ **

**_And I found someone I really like_ **

**_Maybe for the first time_ **

* * *

On all the days he has to come and find out his little girl now has a boyfriend, and one he’s sure is not good news –not because he’s necessarily a bad guy, but because he seems pretty in love with Betty, and Betty with him- it had to be just close the anniversary of the day he adopted Betty. A day that means a lot to both of them, and he always has something planned.

Plans are ruined, it seems.

They come in, and he frowns when he realizes Alice isn’t surprised… she throws him a look, half apologizing, half telling him to be good. He sighs internally, and goes to help with the bags they have, but Jughead is faster, letting him know is fine, that he’ll take them up to Betty’s room, if that’s allowed, the beanie guy asks.

He’s well-mannered, that’s true, and FP likes that, but it also puts him on alert, because can anyone really be that well-mannered? The overprotective dad part of him is telling him no one is, and the rational part is reminding him to trust Betty’s instincts.

But he’s her father, and he can’t help but worry.

“You can, but I’ll go with you” FP simply says, and Jughead nods with a polite smile, Betty smiles at their interaction.

“We’ll prepare some tea, would you like some?” Alice asks Jughead.

“Maybe a cup, before I leave to the hotel, I don’t want to lose the reservation” he explains, as he picks up Betty’s bags.

FP almost sighs in relief, but a part of him is worried too, what if Betty decides to spend one of those nights she’s staying with them at that hotel?

What if...?

“Dad, are you okay?” his little girl asks him, and he smiles and nods.

“Of course I am, BB” he says, knowing she’ll kill him if he says her full nickname if front of her new boyfriend, she smiles at him.

* * *

They sit in the living room; Alice gathered a tray with the teapot and teacups, and he notices how Betty’s rolls her eyes at the set she painted as a mother’s day gift when she was around nine.

Alice holds a giggles, and FP has to help himself to not say anything about it, like complimenting Betty for her artistic abilities, because even though his wife loves the teapot – and he does too – thanks to the sentimental value, it’s actually a pretty bad:

The mix of color that don’t go along – lime green, black, grey, yellow, orange, pink, purple – the different kind of traces and the child writing it would made it something you would never want you want someone you are trying to impress to see.

But Alice and FP are proud parents, and something proud parents do –not really with that intention – is to embarrass their children, wanting to show off sweet memories.

Jughead seems to notices the teapot was made by Betty when Alice is serving him the hot liquid in his teacup, and he smiles and compliments the green eyed blonde by how sweet her writing was when she was younger.

Betty blushes, and FP gives him a point to Jughead, because he’s trying to make her feel good and comfortable with sharing things about her past with him.

“It was FP’s idea, that was a special mother’s day” Alice starts to tell the blue eyed young man, once she takes a sit next to her husband.

* * *

He remembers the occasion; he wanted to do something special for Alice, because she was still down by their first child leaving, after taking a year working with his father in the sheriff’s office, waiting to go to college.

So, he went with the three children – Charles was 19, Polly was 14 and Betty was 9. It took them a while to decide, at the end they decided on making Alice something, and went to a pottery painting place.

They choose the tea set, Polly painted the teacups – which were well done, he had to admit the teenager was really good at painting –, Charles had the plates – that turned out okay, – and sweet Betty had the teapot – the result was awful, actually.

But when they gave the gift to Alice, she loved it, especially the awful teapot.

* * *

FP doesn’t pay attention to his wife’s voice; he’s studying the young couple’s movements, nodding when he notices his name being mentioned.

Jughead keeps a respectful distant from Betty, all the contact they have is Betty’s hand in the younger dark haired man’s knee, with Jughead’s hand over hers.

Another point, much to FP’s displeasure – not really.

He’s respectful with Alice and him, and that’s something most guys around their ages don’t usually do. He has to compliment this guy’s parents.

* * *

Jughead leaves after two cups of tea and spending a few minutes with Betty, in which Alice had dragged FP to the backyard to give them real privacy. He had to bite his tongue, so he wouldn’t protest.

He walks Jughead to the door, followed by Betty.

“You know your way to the hotel?” FP ask, because he has to keep himself polite, and also because he knows Betty really cares for this guy.

“Yeah, Betty showed me the way and I configured the location on my GPS, before we came here” he explains, while he touches the back of his neck.

He’s nervous, and FP is happy Jughead feels intimidated by him.

“Good, if you need anything, let us know” he says, and Betty throws FP a glare, and the ex-serpent knows he has to give them privacy.

He walks to the kitchen, where he founds Alice is cleaning the teapot and teacups they used, after telling Jughead she didn’t needed help, when the blue eyed young man offered.

Alice looks at him, a friendly smile, he sighs, waiting for Betty to return, and when the longest ten minutes of his life passed, he hears the door closing.

* * *

When Betty is about to go to bed, there is a knocking on her door. She smiles, because she knows is FP, doing the secret – not secret at all – sequence they used with each other.

“Come in!” she says, closing her dairy and letting it on her nightstand.

When he walks in, he leaves the close barely open and smiles to her, walking until he reaches the bed and takes a sit on the border.

“Hey, Betty Boop” he says, and his daughter raises and eyebrow with a knowing smile.

“You’re here to talk about Jug” she says, and FP sighs.

“I can’t come to see my little girl now, without her thinking I want to talk about her…”

“Boyfriend, daddy. You can say that B word, it’s not a bad one” she’s mocking him and he rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll rather call him daughter stealer”

Betty laughs and shakes her head, and moves so she’s sitting next to him.

He looks at her, and he can’t help but thing how beautiful she is. His little girl is a woman, she’s a legal adult.

_She’s a grown up._

The thought hurts, because he wish he could turn back time, go back when she still wanted him to sleep with her because she was scared – he was better at keeping monsters at bay – or always wanting to go to work with him, because she liked to play around in his office.

Now she’s an adult, and she has a boyfriend, and when she opens her mouth, she says the words he was scared to hear when he saw that boy next to her when he opened the door.

“I really like him”

He sighs, and she hugs him. He hugs her back.

“I know… and I think he really likes you too” he admits, and Betty smiles to him.

“Promise me you won’t be mean to him” she says, and he snorts.

“Me? Being mean?” he fakes being insulted, because he knows what she meant.

“You terrified Archie, dad. _Archie_ , when he wanted to take me to prom” she reminds him, and he frowns.

“Hey, he can be my godson, but he was a player.”

“That’s what made me have to go with Reggie” she reminds him, and he shakes her head.

“Yeah, that wasn’t a wiser option. You should’ve gone with your brother” he says, half joking.

This time, Betty frowns and laughs, shaking her head.

“What are we going to do for our special day?” she asks, and he smiles.

“It’s a surprise...” he hates himself for what he’s going to do.

* * *

He got Jughead’s phone with Alice’s help, after explaining what he wants to do. He had to promise her it isn’t going to beat the guy, nor threaten him.

He wants to do something special for Betty, and he knows he needs help, and Alice can’t keep a secret for too long.

FP calls him, Jughead is surprised and nervous at the beginning of the call, but he quickly explains what he needs him to do, and Jughead agrees.

“Mr. Jones?” he says, when FP is about to hang up.

“Yes?”

“Thank you, for trusting me. I really care about Betty, and you’re the world to her”

He feels touched by those words, and thanks Jughead for caring for his little girl. He adds a quick comment about _if you ever hurt her_ ; it’s half a joke, half serious. Jughead understands, and when he hung up, FP sighs.

* * *

Jughead helped FP keeping Betty distracted, without it being extremely suspicious. Betty wanted to spend time with her parents, so they had to work around that, Jughead asked her to show him her town, and she agreed when FP was at work, which made his plan harder to make.

At the end, they were able to.

* * *

On the anniversary of the adoption, FP took Betty out, they had dinner and after that they went for an ice cream, it was something they always do.

“Where are we going?” she ask him, because he turns to other direction, instead of going home.

“It’s an specially day, Betty Boop, so, I wanted to do something special” he explains, as he parks.

Betty frowns, because she realize they’re at the old Drive-In. It got closed when she was really young, so she didn’t fully experienced it.

“I’ll be right back, why don’t you take a sit?” FP pointed, and Betty realized there was a picnic prepared in the middle of the place.

She feels touched, but doesn’t say anything, just do as he told him, he comes back and takes a sit next to her.

A movie starts, and Betty’s eyes fills with tears when she watches that on the big screen there are some childhood movies.

At the end, she’s sobbing and hugging him, FP has silent tears running down his face.

“I love you, daddy” she says and he smiles.

“I love you too, Elizabeth Harley Cooper” and Betty laughs.

“It’s Cooper-Jones to you, mister.”

He smiles at her, is a joke they have since the day he adopted her.

* * *

He thanks Jughead for his help, when they’re leaving just the day after the adoption anniversary, and Jughead tells him he was glad to help.

Betty hugs him tight before getting into Jughead’s truck, and he sighs when he watches the vehicle get smaller and smaller, until they turn left and disappear.

He hates to admit it, but that Jughead Lodge isn’t as awful as he originally thought.


End file.
